Pioneer
Committee of Centennial
Gathers List of First Settlers and their Progeny

Interesting Story of Those
Who Knew New
Albany from 75 to 100 Years Ago.

Facts
compiled by Mrs. Bertha S. Van PeltIn
electing to celebrate a Centennial—the hundredth milestone in the
progress of a state or town—the first step toward such a celebration
would be a search for those who had grown up with the same. In
instituting a Pioneer Committee, the Woman's Auxiliary to the
Centennial could think of no more, fitting tribute to these early
pioneers of New Albany than to give them and their descendants a place
of honor in their organization.

The following article has been
compiled with this thought in mind. If there be any mistakes—and there
doubtless are many—they are of the mind and not of the heart, for it is
only with the best of motives that the writer had undertaken to mention
these names and the little incidents attending for the benefit of those
who care to read.

In selecting a Pioneer Committee,
the president of the Woman's Auxiliary, Miss Mary E. Cardwill, with her
usual forethought and discretion, chose Mrs. Harry R. Friend as a
chairman and a more thorough and faithful worker in this matter could
hardly have been found. From the time of its institution Mrs. Friend
has visited and telephoned innumerable people—sometimes walking from
Silver Grove to the Stone Bridge in search of connections. Coming as
she does from one of the pioneer families, her vast knowledge of New
Albany folk couple with her untiring energy has enabled her to secure a
large and almost complete list and to her and her alone is the credit
due for whatever virtue this article may have. The writer has simply
taken her lists and compiled them.

Many amusing incidents have
attended Mrs. Friend's search for material and if it were possible to
incorporate them in the following, the interest therein might be
increased. But the editor of the Tribune, having most generously
donated the space for this matter, it were hardly just to him to use it
for anything but the important facts.

It must be understood that these
names are only those pioneers and their direct descendants who came to
New Albany seventy-five years ago or previous. This rule was adhered to
as strictly as possible. Probably the oldest pioneer among the men
today is Mr. James Peake, who is eighty-one years old. Miss Sallie Ann
Draper claims that distinction among the women. She is the oldest
pioneer in the city at eighty-four.

Many of the lineal tracings are
rather vague, due to the failing memories of the elderly people visited
and the incomplete records in the families of the descendants. Often it
was impossible to get the exact year in which the ancestors came to the
city, but as nearly as possible the date will be indicated.

One of the most amusing incidents
in this entire work was the insistence with which not less than twelve
families declared theirs to have been the first frame or brick house
built in New Albany. There were also many arguments met with in
disputing ownership of lands, but in all cases, Mrs. Friend met the
occasion with diplomacy and as proof of her kindliness and courtesy in
all matters she was the recipient of numerous requests to publish
cherished and sacred anecdotes and was also offered the loan of many
relics for the Loan Exhibit.

As nearly as possible the
chronological figures will be followed. Often there are no dates, but
descendants are certain of the time limit of seventy-five years and
over, although the exact dates are not able to be ascertained for
reasons given above. It must always be borne in mind that all of these
dates, facts and figures have been secured from the descendants
themselves or someone closely connected. No authentic histories have
been searched and in all probability there are many errors, for
memories cannot be relied upon. The writer will start with the 1800's
and proceed to the time limit and follow as closely as possible the
dates given. The uncertain dates will be given in the last group.

Only the living descendants will
be mentioned, and of them, only those residing at the present time in
New Albany. There will, [no] doubt, be many mentioned who are not here,
but as the writer is not familiar with these families she can but
accept the facts as supplied by the data furnished.

The first to be mentioned, then,
would be the name of John K. Graham, who came to New Albany in 1802.
"He built the second house," according to the manuscript, "and also
laid out the city. He was the first to banish liquor from his table and
treated the harvestmen to a fine lunch, which custom was afterward
adopted by many of the families." He married Mary A. Huff. Their
children were Capt. James M. Graham and Mrs. T. L. Grant. The children
of Capt. Graham are as follows: James M., Mrs. B. A. Blackiston, Earl,
Hubert, Murnie and Chester. Mrs. B. A. Blackiston's children are:
Beatrice, Adelaide, Carolyn, Rolans, Winifred, Marjorie, Isabelle,
Evelyn and Benjamin. James M. Graham had one child, Eula. Robert D.
Mann is a descendant of this family, being the grandson of Eliza Graham
and Martin Very.

The Akin family came to New Albany
early in the 1800's. There were five children. They were born near
Charlestown, but came to New Albany with the early settlers. There were
Ransom, William, Isaac, Elizabeth, and Priscilla Akin. Descendants of
Ransom Akin living here are Mrs. E. Vernon Knight and children, Newland
and E. Vernon, Jr.

David Wilkerson came in the early
1800's and was a well-known magistrate of New Albany. His wife was
Catherine Tice Wilkerson. She died in her ninety-third year. Sixty
years before her death she was called to attend the birth of a
neighbor's child. The snow on the streets was so deep it was necessary
to put on hers husband's boots. She went to the home of the parents of
William Merker, officiated at his birth, and sixty years later, Mr.
Merker performed the last rites at her death. Mrs. Sally Friend is the
only living descendant of the Wilkerson Family.

Along about 1804, Patrick Shields
and his wife, Polly Nance Shields, with their three children and one
black boy, passed over the hills of New Albany on their way to
Georgetown. In looking down over the valley en route to their
destination, Mrs. Shields asked of her husband had they reached the
"jumping off place." Mrs. Shields, with one child before her and one
behind her, made the trip from Kentucky to Georgetown on horseback by
day and with their wagon fixed with a door at each end so in case of
attack by Indians by night they might be able to escape at either end.
The resided for many years in Georgetown, during which time Mr. Shields
fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe, and when for three months or more
Mrs. Shields never knew whether or no she was a widow, having no one
save her three small children and one black boy. In 1835, Clement
Shields, a son, removed to New Albany, building and occupying the house
at Washington and Main streets, which still stands [in 1913] and is now
occupied by Mrs. Austin. Only two families have ever lived there—the
Shields and the Austins. Clement Shields had four children, two of whom
and their families live here. They are Mrs. Avesta Nunemacher and her
children, Mrs. Mary King and Mrs. Emma Carleton, famous throughout the
State as a journalist and poetess of ability; Miss Elizabeth
Nunemacher, an authority on ornithology; Mrs. William Crane and Mrs.
Al. Wright and children, Burdette and Aleen.

Richard Aston and wife, Mary, came
here in 1807. Mrs. Nanina Livingston was their only child. Her son,
John Livingston, helped institute the Daughters of Rebecca. John
Livingston's descendants are Mrs. Henry Kiser, daughter; Mrs. Nettie
Telles and L. E. Kiser, grandchildren; Hazel, Clarence and Edmond,
great-grandchildren. John W. Gaither is also a descendant of this
family.

Lewis C. Mann "built the first
house in Floyd County." His sons were J. F., Lewis C., Jr., and
Jonathan. Mrs. J. Will Pennington is the child of Lewis C. Mann; Oliver
and Arthur are sons of Jonathan Mann. Other descendants of this family
are Mrs. B. F. Greig, Mrs. Ira Saltkill and Mrs. W. E. Ash; Edna,
Elsie, Lewis and Paul Mann; John, Trevor, Arthur, Charles and Ira
Saltkill and Elliott Ash.

Emily Cumly, who afterward became
the wife of John Payton, came to New Albany in 1810. There seems to be
no record on hand of others of her family and it is not known to the
writer whether or not she accompanied some other pioneer family. Her
husband, John Payton, came here in 1820. Their children are Emily C.
and Theodore S. Payton.

——

The following is submitted by a
descendant of the Conner family, and is given in full;

"John Conner, with his son,
Thomas, a boy of twelve years, came from Virginia to New Albany and
settled about the same time as the Scribner family; to be exact, three
months after the Scribners settled in New Albany.

"Thomas Conner, at the age of
twenty-four years married Eliza Harris, of Kentucky, in 1823, and
resided in New Albany, Ind. Thomas and wife were blessed with nine
children. In 1840 Mrs. Conner died. Two years after the death of his
first wife, he married again, going to Kentucky the second time, and
brought home to New Albany Sally Ann Tribble as Mrs. Thomas Conner.
Their union was blessed with four children. In 1857 Mr. Conner died,
leaving his wife, thirteen sons and daughters and their families.

In 1812, Jeremiah Starr and wife,
Barbara Brookhalt Starr, settled in New Albany. Their grandchildren
are: Prof. J. B. Starr, Dr. Wm. Starr and Andrew and John Fite. Oscar
E. Starr is a son of Prof. Starr, and Edson, Jr., a grandson. Dr.
Starr's two children are Mrs. F. D. Poutch, Huon Starr, Misses Sarah
and Eleanor Starr and Mrs. May Hammer; Olin and James Hammer, and Miss
Madge Starr. Mrs. Fite, mother of Andrew and John, was here when the
best grocery store was in a hollow tree.

John Hamilton Fawcett and wife
Elizabeth Whistler, pioneers, settled here in the early 1800's.
Charles, Thomas and Ephraim Fawcett are the three sons. Other members
of the line are Miss Drue Fawcett and Charles Fawcett, Herbert Fawcett
and Kenneth and William Fawcett.

Samuel Miller and wife, Jennie
Chenoweth, came to New Albany in 1812. Grandchildren and
great-grandchildren of this family are: Mrs. Laura Washburn, Mrs. Mary
Pratt and Mrs. Nellie Anschutz, Mrs. Ruth Campbell and Miss Irene
Campbell, who is a great-great granddaughter.

James McAfee and his wife, Anna
Hutchinson McAfee, came here in 1813. Their descendants are: James L.
M. McAfee, a son; James Wilber McAfee, grandson; Elmore McAfee. Mrs.
Lula Hilt is a granddaughter, and her four children, Effie, Orpha,
Mitchell and Charles, great-grand-daughters.

Matthew Robinson came to New
Albany in 1814. He took out his naturalization papers in 1819. These
papers are in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. J. B. Cain. He
had six children — Mathew J., William B., Margaret Garrett, Jane N.,
Rebecca McCord. Descended from these are Mrs. Mary Cain, Harry Edward
Robinson; Mrs. Jennie Robinson Callahan, Elizabeth Cain and Dorothy and
Emma Callahan.

Gabriel Poindexter, an 1814
pioneer, was the father of Mrs. J. O. Greene and the grandfather of
Miss Alice Greene. On November 12, 1814, he found a stray horse and
turned it over to Richard Aston, at that time marshal of New Albany. A
record of this can be found in the "Strayed Book" of that year.

The following was submitted by
Mrs. S. A. Wheeler and is given verbatim. It is to be regretted that
more of such manuscripts could not be secured: "My mother, Mahala C.
Hutcherson, was born May 9, 1812, near Mt. Sterling, Ky., where her
parents had moved to from Virginia. Her father died, leaving his wife
and six children —mother, the youngest, over two years old. They were
well provided for, but they wanted to come to the Falls of the Ohio, so
in October, 1815, they came to New Albany, coming down the river in a
flatboat, which was the only mode of travel in those days. Mother was
raised in New Albany, and knew many of the early settlers as she grew
up, and could tell some very interesting incidents about the place and
people.

My father, Jno. B. Crawford, Sr.,
was born November 5, 1807, in Harrisburg, Pa. He came to New Albany in
1828. He had learned the trade of brick mason and went to contracting,
and later built many of the prominent buildings of New Albany, such as
the Opera House, the First and Third Presbyterian Churches, the
Evangelical Church, St. Mary's Church and School, DePauw College and
many other prominent buildings. Soon after he came here he met Mother,
and they were married August 24, 1829. Fourteen children were born to
them, but only nine lived to be grown. There are four of us still
living. The oldest sister, Mrs. Belle Leach, is living in Houston,
Texas. She is seventy-nine years old. A younger brother, James L.
Crawford, lives in Porter County, this State. Mrs. S. A. Wheeler, 1620
King Street, and Mrs. M. T. Self, 1101 East Oak street, this city. We
all received our education in New Albany, the girls at Anderson Female
Seminary and at DePauw College, then named Asbury College. Mrs. Leach
was the first and only graduate the first year the college was opened.

My father did much toward building
up the city, contributing freely to all enterprises. For a number of
years he was captain of the Volunteer Hook and Ladder Fire Company.

I could write more, but fear I
will intrude, so I will close, hoping you will find something in above
to add to the city's history.

Mrs. S. A.
Wheeler"

Another Graham family dates back
to 1816 – Ferdinand Graham and Alba Day, his wife. Their children were
John K. Graham and Mrs. Mary E. Walker. George S. Graham, F. Graham and
Nannie Graham are grandchildren, as are also Ferd Walker, the artist,
and Rev. John M. Walker. Stanley Walker and Mary and Louise Walker are
great-grandchildren.

The Stoy family are among the
earliest of the pioneers, having come to this city about 1816 — Peter
Stoy and wife, Mary Wicks Stoy. Many of the Stoy family have moved
away, but four of the grandchildren are still living in New
Albany—Mary, Armand, Hettie and Caroline.

The Rev. Seth Woodruff, the
grandfather of Misses Eleanor and Adelia Woodruff, came to New Albany
in 1817 from Newark, N.J., bringing with him his four-months-old son,
Israel C. Woodruff, the father of the Misses Woodruff, who are the only
living descendants.

While most of the material for
this article was received by Mrs. Friend over the phone, quite a good
deal of it came to her through the mails, and wherever it is possible,
theses letters are given verbatim. The following was written by an
enthusiast and is given in its entirety:

"Floral Home.

New Albany, Ind., Sept. 24, 1913.

"Mr. Joseph F. Armstrong was
brought to this city before 1817, when a small boy, by his father and
mother. Was born near Shelbyville, Ky.; married to Miss Mary Atta
Tunnell in New Albany, Ind. She was born in Versailles, Ky., and came
to New Albany before '38. The Rev. George Armstrong, father of Joseph
F. Armstrong, donated the foundation timbers for the "Old Ship", West
First and Market streets. The remaining members of the family are: John
T. Armstrong, for many years Assistant Postmaster, also Deputy Recorder
with James G. Harrison, also in Auditor's and Treasurer's offices; Miss
Mattie Zelda Armstrong. And Miss Mamie Atta Armstrong. Have always
resided on West Market street. 'Hurrah for the Centennial.' "

Moses Decker, whose first wife was
Mary Jackson and whose second wife was Mary Weldon, came to New Albany
in 1817. His two children were Preston Tuley Decker and Sarah R.
Weldon. Descendants of these are Mrs. Anna C. Mathes, Alinda, Ada,
William and L. P. Decker; also Theo, Preston and Oscar Allen Mathes.
Oscar Allen, James Shea and Mary Catherine are children of the latter.

In 1817, William A. Steward
settled here, and from his family are descended Mrs. Laura Shrader and
Mrs. C. A. Reeves. Children and grandchildren are as follows: William
Roy Friend, Earl Friend, Robert Edward Friend, and Frank and Alma
Poutch.

Another 1817 family of which there
seems to be only one living descendant is that of Martin Very. One son,
Charles Very, survives him.

James Beers, father of Capt.
George Beers and Mrs. Frances Macinni, settled in New Albany in 1818.
Mrs. Macinni had no children, but Capt. Beers is father of a large
family, a number of whom liver here and hold prominent positions in the
city. Of the ten children, five remained in New Albany. They are Misses
Mary, Martha, Kate, Carrie and Harry Beers.

William Beeler and his wife,
Elizabeth Brown Beeler, are another 1819 family. Miss Hattie Beeler is
the only child living in New Albany at present. Louise, Elizabeth and
Raymond Stoy are descended from them.

Augustus Turner, another 1819
settler, helped to build the New Albany and Salem railway. He married
Martha Guest in 1827, the ceremony being performed at the residence of
John Scott, now the Scott graveyard. Mrs. Turner met an untimely death
by the accidental discharge of an old musket. After having moved it
from one place to another for a number of years, she decided to rid
herself of the old relic, and placed the wooden end in the stove. A
case of "not knowing it was loaded" resulted in a shattered kneecap. It
was found necessary to amputate her leg, from the effects of which she
died. Mrs. Martha Jackson, Mrs. Penniah L. Buss and Mrs. Anna M. Thomas
were the living children of that union. From them come the following
descendants: Mrs. Hugo Tafel and children, Hugo and William; Mrs. Edith
Madlong and Guy Thomas, Fred and Albert Turner are grandsons, and Irene
Turner is a great-grandchild, as are also Chester, Cecil and Cora
Turner.

Mrs. Martha Jackson owns a cradle
in which the first Sheriff of Floyd County was rocked. Other
descendants of the Jackson family are: Chas. E., Lemon, Schuyler, John,
Addison, Edna, Hollis, George, Lewis, Dorothy and John W.

Mrs. Annabelle Brown Hooper came
to New Albany in 1819 when but a young girl. In 1832 she was married to
Dummer Mitchell Hooper, and their daughter, Mrs. Francis Hooper Taylor,
still lives in the Hooper homestead on West Fourth street, between
Spring and Market, built in 1830, and which contains much of the old
furniture used in that period. Mrs. Charles Hartley is a granddaughter.

The last to be mentioned of the
1819 pioneer families are the Browns. Edward Brown and wife, Rachel
Evans, were the parents of Lewis Brown, familiarly known as "Lew"
Brown, and Mrs. Atherton. Mrs. J. Seabrooks, and Mrs. Horatio Devol are
the descendants living in New Albany at the present.

John Fowler and wife, Margaret
Baylor Fowler, who came to New Albany in 1820 have but two descendants
— Mrs. Nancy Jackson, daughter, and Miss Carrie Hanmore, granddaughter.

Of David Hedden's setting in New
Albany, there is quite a lucid account. It would seem from the data
given that Mr. Hedden came very nearly leaving this part of the State
several times, but was always induced to remain either by circumstances
or persuasion of friends. He was born in Newark, N.J., but left there
in 1820 for the West, supposedly in search of his fortune. He placed
his hair-covered trunk on a wagon, which he followed, walking over the
Allegheny Mountains to Pittsburg. Here he was given an opportunity to
work his way down the Ohio on a flatboat. A Mr. Morton, about to embark
with a cargo of merchandise for Southern Kentucky, where he expected to
open a store, gave him permission to work [for] his passage. The day
after embarking, Mr. Hedden was taken ill and when the boat reached
Louisville, where is [it] was necessary to unload, it being considered
unsafe to bring any cargo over the Falls, Mr. Hedden concluding his
recovery might be more certain on land, deduced to stay until he was
well enough to travel. Having an acquaintance a Mr. Baldwin, in New
Albany, Mr. Hedden was brought over in a skiff, landing at the foot of
Vincennes street. He spent the first year as a clerk in the store of
Mr. Baldwin, located where the Kiel tobacco house now stands. The
following year when Mr. Baldwin decided to go further north, Mr. Hedden
had almost made up his mind to accompany him, but a Mr. Ayres induced
him to remain, and eight years later Mr. Ayres took him into
partnership in his store located in what is now known as the Henry
Block. This partnership continued during Mr. Ayres' lifetime. He joined
the First Presbyterian Church in 1831 and was publicly received at a
communion service held in a grove near Upper Ninth street. He married
Miss Elizabeth Wood in 1840. His seven children are all living. They
are: Misses Francis and Theodosia Hedden, living at the old homestead
on Dewey street; Will Hedden and wife, whose children are Will, Earl,
Kirk and Elsie; Anna, who is the wife of Dr. Frank Greene, and their
son, Cook, Ella W., wife of Frank Hardy and three children, Marguerite,
Gladys and a son who is in the West.

James Wesley Lyons and wife,
Eunice Bowden, came to New Albany in 1820. He was an 1812 war veteran,
having been captured by the British and put in Nova Scotia on parole.
Here in Halifax he met Eunice Bowden, whom he married and later took to
New York State. From there they came to Cincinnati, where the daughter,
Margaret Anne Lyons, was born in 1816. Four years later the Lyons
family come to New Albany on a flatboat, where they settled. They had
eleven children, the descendants of whom, however, are scattered.
Margaret Lyons' first husband was Aaron Armstrong, by whom she had one
daughter, who afterwards became Mrs. Whistler. Later she married Capt.
John Ealy, for whom Ealy street was named, and on which his two
daughters, Mrs. Georgia St. John and Miss Laura Ealy, now live. Capt.
Ealy was a pilot on the "B. J. Adams" in the Marine Service during the
Civil War, and was one of the four boats to enter Vicksburg during the
siege, under heavy fire. Capt. and Margaret Ealy had seven children,
but only two are living here now, mentioned above. Descendants are Mrs.
Belle Dishman, Mrs. May Sappenfield and Ruth Sappenfield, Mrs. Ella
LaDuke, Mary, Edith, and Clifford Lyons; Walter Buchanan, John Ealy,
May Ealy, Mrs. John Thompson, John J., Raymond Ealy and Mildred
Thompson.

Obadiah Childs settled in New
Albany some time before the 1820's. Descended from that family are Mrs.
Ellen Connor, Mrs. Wesley Connor, J. W. and Will Connor, Robert and
Clifford Connor, Josephine and James Connor and Edna and Earl Connor.

In 1821, William C. Long came to
New Albany, and his five children are still living: Cutter, Charles and
Harry Stringham, and two daughters, Mrs. Lucy Stringham and Mrs. Jessie
Daingerfield. Descended from them are: Mrs. James Guthrie and daughter,
Florence; Bea Dangerfield and two children, Frank, James, John, Fannie,
Irene, Gertrude and William Stringham, the latter's one son and three
children of Charles Long.

Capt. Joshua Wiley, who came here
in 1821, left, but one living descendant, Wiley Utz.

Descended from James Hammond, who
came here in 1822 are a granddaughter, Mrs. Rella L. Lottick; three
grandchildren, Karl Lottick, Mrs. P. Sherman and Mrs. Edna Jackson and
two great-grandchildren, Lynne Lottick and Lewis Jackson.

Another 1822 family is that of
Thomas J. Hatfield and wife, Margaret Davis. They had four children,
Thomas J. and Charles Hatfield, Mrs. Emma Brown and Mrs. Mary Gaskel.
Descended from these are William and Minnie Hatfield and Frank, and
Mayme Hatfield. Two great-grandchildren are Thomas F. Hatfield and Mrs.
Jennie Smith. Harry, Robert, Fred and Frank Brown; Homer, Ethel,
Mildred and Lorena, children of Harry Brown; Karl, Anna and Eva,
children of Robert Brown; Mary and Sylvia, children of Fred Brown;
Charles, Jessie and Ida, children of Mrs. Mary Gaskel; Iona Brown,
George and Victoria Rusk.

Peter Mann came here in 1823, and
of a large family only three grandchildren are living here at present.
They are Blaine Mann Marshall, Mrs. Leo Pennington and Robert D. Mann.
Robert J. Mann is the youngest descendant. He is the infant son of
Robert D. Mann.

Clement Nance, who came here in
1825, was an associate judge of Floyd County. His grandson, James Dalla
Nance, is still living. Two great-grandchildren are also here. They are
Misses Belle and Julia Nance.

When Gabriel Ellis and wife, Nancy
J. Logan, came here in 1823, there was only one well in the town. It
was located at the end of the old Market House, where it still stands,
and was called the Town Pump. A long list of descendants sprang from
this union from which, however, there were only two children, James
Logan Ellis and Mrs. Mildred Ellis Creig. They are Frank A., Mary H.
Creig and Mrs. F. A. Anschutz, children of Mrs. Mildred Ellis Creig;
Mrs. Ben Greenaway, Mrs. George Hay, and Miss Tillie Ellis, children of
J. L. Ellis; Stewart Allen, Wallace W., Mildred A. and Robert Bruce are
the children of Frank A. Creig; Helen, Garret and Hudson Creig are the
children of Mrs. F. A. Anschutz. Mrs. George Hay has one son, Chas. and
Oscar and Margaret Ellis are grandchildren of J. L. Ellis by another
son. Charles E. Ellis is the son of Oscar Ellis, Emma, Catherine E.,
Lawrence Ellis and Marie Creig are also descendants.

Samuel Sisloff came in 1824. Mary
Ellen Girard came a year later, in which year they were married[1].
Descended from this family are Joseph Sisloff, whose two children are
Frank Sisloff and Mrs. J. B. Harrison. Lester and Virginia Sisloff are
children of the former, and Mrs. Harrison has two daughters, Mary and
Martha.

In 1825, Harlam Wible, whose
wife's name is not given, came to New Albany. They had two children,
Harriet and Sam Wible. George Wible is a grandchild, and Mary and
Farrell Wible are great-grandchildren.

William Cobb and wife, Rebecca
Elmore, came to New Albany from Virginia in 1825, making the trip in
wagons. Mrs. Cobb lived to be 94 years of age. She left thirteen
children, of whom the following live in New Albany: Henderson and James
Cobb, Mrs. Mary Cobb Huckleberry, Mrs. Rebecca Cobb Townsend and Mrs.
Elizabeth Cobb Pee. Of their descendants only two are residing here at
present. They are Sallie Vernia Gohmann and Genevieve Vernia. Many
descendants of this family are expected to the homecoming, among them a
three times great-grandson—Finck Dohrman.

James H. Cochran settled here in
1826. His wife, Sarah A. Tomlin, did not come here until in '35. Mary,
Anna and George Cochran are children, and Mrs. Frank Boyd is a
grandchild.

Catherine Reed is another who came
here in the '20's and of whom there are no other accounts of her
family. She came in 1828, and her husband, Henry Quinger, in 1829, when
they were married. Mrs. Catherine Quinger Raynor was born in 1830, and
is still living. A son, Henry William Raynor; a grandson, Henry William
Raynor, and a great-granddaughter, Virginia Macauley Raynor, are all
living here at present.

Matthew Byrn settled here about
1828. Arthur, William and Jennie Carson are the only living descendants
here at present, Mrs. William Carson, the deceased mother of those
mentioned, lived where the Government Building now stands.

E. R. Day came to New Albany in
1828. He took up a position as clerk in the store of his uncle, Mr.
Ayres, whose name was mentioned above in connection with the David
Hedden family. Later Mr. Day went into business for himself, and for a
number of years kept one of the leading book stores of the city. In the
course of time he acquired quite a good deal of property. His
descendants are numerous and are among the prominent families here—Mrs.
R. W. Garrison, and children, Elizabeth A., Ruth E., and Jean M.
Garrison; Vaughan, Viceroy, Winifred, Margaret and Jefferson Conner and
Marian Perrine Connor are the infant daughters of Vaughan and Villeroy
Conner, respectively. Little Marian Perrine Conner can boast of much
pioneer stock from both sides of the family.

William N. Weir came to New Albany
in 1828. Descendants of that family are: Miss Cassie and Sallie Weir,
Stacey Robinson, Mrs. Arthur Spence, Weir and Arthur Spence and Mrs.
Eugene McLaughlin.

William Plummer and his wife,
Sally Ann Bushnell, came to New Albany in 1829. Mr. Plummer was a
member of the firm, Plummer & Bushnell, located for many years at
First and the River. E. B. Plummer is the only descendant of this
family living in New Albany.

John Frederick Merker and wife,
Catherine, came her in 1830. Mrs. A. H. McQuiddy is a daughter. Minta
and John McQuiddy are the only ones of her family who reside here at
present. Other descendants are Mrs. Anna Merker Kraft and daughter,
Frances Kraft; Mrs. Etta Merker Lloyd and daughter, Mary Hester Lloyd;
Mrs. J. Victor Penn and children, Frances Helen and Rodger; Miss Amelia
Herman and Mrs. Horace Shrader.

L. P. Dorsey and wife, Priscilla
Roberts, came in 1830. A long line of descendants are still living
here. Mrs. Rebecca Seabrooks, a daughter, is the mother of James
Seabrooks, Mrs. Minnie Williams and Miss Lizzie Seabrooks. Mrs.
Williams’ children are Guy and Chester Williams. Guy has one son,
Robert G. Williams. Leonard Dorsey is a grandson of L. P. Dorsey, for
whom he was named and other descendants are: John Cadwallader, Mrs.
John Foster, Mrs. Anna Gordon, Mrs. Kate McCord, Robert and Charles
McCord, Mrs. Tillie Murrey, Mrs. Edith Murrey Mann, William Coolman,
William Wells Coolman, Mrs. Betty Dorsey Marsh, Miss Lillie Dorsey,
George Dorsey, Wesley and Homer Dorsey and Alinda, Mary and Addis
Dorsey.

In 1830 came James Newbanks.
Descendants from his family are Mrs. J. W. Edmondson, George Newbanks
and Miss Mary Newbanks. Arthur Newbanks and Kenneth Cundiff Edmondson.

Lucient Griffin and wife, Lucy
Lewis, who settled here in 1831, left a long line of descendants, many
of whom still live in New Albany. Mrs. Susan Stran is a daughter.
Others in this line are Mrs. Belle Ferrell, Mrs. Fannie Perrine, Mrs.
Villeroy Conner, Little Marian Perrine Conner, Mrs. Anna Eliza Genung,
Mrs. L. Edwards, Ben Smith, Boyd Smith, Marvin Bolton and Wilber Boyd
Smith, and Nellie Louise Smith.

Judge William Underhill came here
in 1831. He was one of the associate judges of the Circuit Court,
occupying the bench at the same time with Judge Woodruff. He
represented the Council from 1843 to 1846. Descended from his family
are Mrs. Frank Jasper, George Martin and John Underhill; Frank,
Christina and Jenabee Jasper; Thomas, Mary, Talbott and Helen, children
of George Underhill; John, Florence and Elizabeth, children of Martin
Underhill, and Mary, daughter of John Underhill.

David and Polly Swarenz came here
from Kentucky in 1832. Their youngest daughter, Dora A. Swarenz, was
married to Leonidas Stout, of Virginia, who still occupies the same
location he purchased sixty-five years ago. His two daughters, Mrs.
Dora Ellmaker and Mrs. Hattie L. Hood live with him.

Levi and Martha Stutler came her
in 1832. Mrs. Linda Pitt and Chester Pitt are descendants of that
family.

Peter Richards and wife, Anna, who
came here in 1832, also left a long list of descendants. The old
Richards homestead on Pearl St. Hill still stands as it was seventy
years ago, and is in good condition. From this line came the following:
Mrs. August Bizot, whose sons live in Louisville: Peter Richards, Jr.,
John, Anna, Frank, Francis, Lillian, Marie Richards, Mrs. Mary
Riggenburger and Mrs. Clyde McDaniels, children of Peter Richards, Jr.;
Mary Margaret and Leota Riggenberger, John and Frank, sons of John
Richards; Richards [sic] and an infant of whose name was not given in,
children of Mrs. Clyde McDaniels; Mrs. N. Stein, Mrs. Ed. Hartley, Mrs.
N. Bettinger, Jr.; Barbara and Catherine, children of Mrs. Stein;
Hannah, daughter of Mrs. Hartley; Mrs. Kiefner, Herman and Losson,
children of Mrs. Bettinger; Mary Richards, Elizabeth Richards, Mrs.
Frank Enslinger and son, Karl Enslinger; Mrs. Ben Hinkebein and
children, Hilda, Frances and Claude Richards.

Theodore Richards and wife, Dorcas
Callway, settled in New Albany in 1832. Of them only two descendants
are still here, Misses Arabelle and Hester E. Roberts.

John B. Hatfield came here in 1932
from Virginia. His wife, Melinda Davis, was born in Bardstown, Ky. Of
their seven children three are still living and reside at present in
New Albany. Of the twenty-nine descendants of this family, all reside
here but one, Miss Florence Hatfield. Children of John Hatfield are:
Mrs. Mary E. Swift, Mrs. Melissa J. Stevenson and James E. Hatfield.
The others are Charles H., William P., Sallie M., Hattie A. and Daisy
Swift; Mrs. Mary E. Wallace, Mrs. Lillie Harbeson, Mrs. Jennie Cotter,
Mrs. Ada Wattam, Mrs. Stella Loughmiller, Mrs. May Devenish, Mrs. Sue
Brown; Floyd and Frank Hatfield; Mrs. Cleone Yeadon, Mrs. Nellie Hogan;
Nelia and Charles Cotter, William P., Irma, Mary E. and Shirley A.
Wallace; Nellie Hatfield, Helen and Wesley Hogan, John F. and Raymond
F. Hatfield and William O. Brown.

In 1832, John Peake and wife came
to New Albany. A son, James Peake, still lives here with his son,
Harvey Peake, the latter quite prominent in literary and musical
matters and an artist of note.

Cyrus Rodgers and wife, Elizabeth
Tummelson, came to this city in 1832. At an early age, Mr. Rodgers was
"bound" to Henry Turner, but before the expiration of his term ran
away, joined the army in the Mexican War and was bodyguard to Capt.
Hatton. In the course of a year he returned, to find his brother had
also enlisted. He immediately re-enlisted with Capt. Robinson of the
Third Kentucky of the Third Kentucky. He is still living at the age of
91, in Silver Grove. Descended from his family are Clarence Rodgers and
children, Myrtle, Elvan and Dorothy; Everett and Laura Nunemacher.

William J. Weissinger and wife,
Mary Wilt, also settled here in 1832, it having evidently been a fair
time to locate. From them are descended the following: Mrs. Mary Kiser
Greenaway, Mrs. Dickman and Geo. Weissinger; Frank and Mamie Kiser;
Olive, William, Robert, Rose May and Charles Weissinger.

George Tinkler and wife, Elizabeth
Elsom, came here from England in 1833. They were accompanied by Mrs.
Tinkler's parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Elsom. Descendants from this
family are Maria E. Tinkler, G. W. Dorsey, Bettie C. Marsh, Mary L.
Hughs and Lillie Dorsey.

In 1833, on the 4th of March, the
day Andrew Jackson was made President for the second time, John
Venable, and wife, Mary Cochran, came to New Albany from Yadkur Valley,
North Carolina, having made the trip on horseback in company with a
train of emigrants through the Cumberland Gap. Mr. Venable attended the
mock funeral of Andrew Jackson in Louisville in 1845. Descended from
the Venable family are Mrs. James Phillips, Mrs. William Houpt, Miss L.
Venable, Mrs. J. Peay, William and Fannie Phillips; Julia and Earl Peay.

In 1833, Gottleib Eisman came to
this city. No mention is made of his wife, and it is, therefore, not
known if she accompanied him at that time or later. Mr. Eisman was one
of the founders of the Lutheran church. At that time they had no books
of any kind and in lieu of hymnals, the members of the congregation
sang the songs as they remembered them. Descended from the Eisman
family are George Lewis Eisman, Mrs. Phillip Diefenbach and Charles L.
Eisman; Mrs. Myrna Huber, Ainta and Clayton Diefenbach; Anita M. Huber
and Mrs. F. Jasper.

Capt. Charles Meekin and wife,
Rebecca Hines, came to New Albany in 1833. Descendants of that family
are Mrs. Dora Boardman, John Brown, James Meekin, Mrs. Charles Meekin's
father. Martin Hines, came here in 1819.

Daniel Hipple settled here in
1834. George Hipple and Mrs. Harry Smith are children of that family
and their children are Daniel and Thomas Hipple and Mary and Eugene
Smith.

Henry Godfrey and wife, Margaret,
came here in 1834. Henry and Chas. Godfrey are their children, and Maud
and Ella Godfrey children of the former.

James Slocum and Ellen, his wife,
came here in 1835. Descendants of this family are Mrs. Ellen Logan
Quin, Mrs. L. Goodbub, Mary, Thos. and James Plaiss, John Ed, Will,
James and George Goodbub.

In 1835, "the year without a
summer," when there was frost on the 21st and 22nd of May, John A.
Pryor and his wife, Mary Cole, located here. Mrs. Mary Jane Pryor
Marshall is a descendant of this family. Also Mrs. C. F. Very, Miss
Margaret Marshall and Blaine Mann Marshall.

Alexander O'Neill and wife,
Margaret Kain, came to New Albany in 1836. Their children are Andrew F.
O'Neill, S. J. Campbell and Mrs. E. McPherson. Children of the last two
mentioned are Walter and Harry Campbell and Guy and Sallie McPherson.

Henry Pennington and wife,
Delphine Rose, came here in 1837. Their children are George H., Francis
A., Samuel M., Jennie and James W. Descended from these are Chester and
Leo Pennington and Mrs. Irene Coleman; Louise Pennington, Margie and
Poutcher Coleman, Jennie Pennington, Mrs. Martha Saltz and Wilma Saltz.

Henry Hanky came here in 1837. G.
H. Hankey, who has occupied the store near the Stone Bridge for the
past fifty-one years, is a son. Other descendants of this family are:
Mrs. Minnie Busching, Frank Busching and Mrs. Bertha Busching Mann;
Samuel, Joseph, Edith and Bertha Mann.

In 1837, Joseph Perry came to New
Albany. His children are William Joseph, Jr., Mary and Chester Perry.
Other descendants are: Mrs. Ethel Perry Langtry, Mrs. Susie Perry
Bruder, Jane and Irene Perry; Henry, Walter and Maud Perry, and Mrs.
Mabel Perry Scott and Perry and Catherine Scott.

John T. Monsch and wife, Elizabeth
Frentz, came to New Albany in 1837. He established a coal and ice
business here, which he conducted for many years. His ice ponds near
Silver Creek still go by the old name, "Monsch's Ponds." He built the
Tavern Hotel, then called Central Hotel, also helped build the first
Catholic church and contributed largely to the building of the German
Catholic church. An exception is mad in the case of some members of his
descendants. Mrs. J. E. Russell, who, with their family, while living
in Louisville, still claim New Albany as their home and are only
waiting to return here and when they can build and locate permanently.

Pelig Fiske and wife, Mary Graves
Fisk, came to New Albany in 1837. Mrs. A. Croxall and Mrs. H. Kenney
are the only children living here at present. From these are descended
Misses Allie and Delphine Croxall and Al. D. Croxall; Harry, Mary and
James Kenney; Miner, William and Henry Kenney, sons of Harry Kenney.

Jacob and Mary Ann Genung came to
New Albany in 1837. Descendants from this family are Edgar Needham and
children, Paul Edgar, David Faye and Hugh John Needham.

James Slider and wife came to New
Albany in 1837. Children of these parents are: John T. Slider, Mary F.
Payne Wilson, James Jefferson Slider and Joseph Mathes Slider. J. T.
Slider has one son, Edward Thomas Slider. Children and grandchildren of
E. T. Slider are: Chester, Walter, Clarence, Mabel and Edna Slider and
Mrs. Nora May Schmidt; young Chester Slider, Edward A. Schmidt;
children of James Slider are Albert Elmore, Evelyn Cretonia and Nelson
Slider; children of Joseph Slider are: Mary, Oneida, Charles, John and
Annie.

James and Sarah Ann Johnson came
over the mountains on a stage to the Ohio River and from its source
travelled the length of the river to New Albany, landing here in 1837.
From this family came the following: Mrs. Emma L. Godfrey, Mrs. Jennie
C. Mathes, Mrs. Carrie Steinhauer, Mrs. Grace K. Campbell and Esther
Mathes.

John W. Edmondson came in 1838.
Harry and Bertha Edmondson are his children. Other descendants of the
family are Hazel, John and James Edmondson and Kenneth Cundiff.

Eli McCloud came in 1838. Mrs.
Morris Slider and children—Lela, Clifford and Morris Slider, are
descendants.

In 1838, Eberhart Koetter and
wife, Margaret Albert, located here. Henry E. Koetter is a son, and
descendants of this family are Margaret Jane Sweeney and Holbrooke
Sweeney.

John Zeilmann and wife, Anna M.
Fuhrmann, and George Erhardt and his wife, Anna and John H. Meister and
his wife, Anna K., all came to New Albany about the same time. The
year, as nearly as can be given, was about 1838. These six were among
the founders of the German Methodist church. The wives of these three
men were sisters, and were all named Anna, the discrimination being the
attending initial. Descendants of the Zeilmann family are: Mrs. A. J.
Lang, J. L. Lang, Leander, John, Amelia and William Kohl and Mrs.
Tessie Kohl Bonifer; Helen Bonifer, Edward Kohl and Mrs. Edna Kohl
Cook, Margaret Cook; Raymond and Gordon Kohl and Mrs. Florence Stein
and son, William C. Stein. The Erhardt descendants are: Mrs. Harry
Carpenter, Mrs. Lena Welton, Roy, William and Harriet Carpenter; Edwin,
Bart, William and Roberta Welton and Mary Welton.

Mrs. Sarah Risley Barrett
Greenaway came her in 1838. She was twice married. From the Barrett
union there are the following: E. F. Barrett, Ella B. Barrett, and
Mabel Hardin who is a great-grand-daughter. From the Greenaway family
there is quite a large list of names. William, James and B. L.
Greenaway are sons. Others are: Mrs. Martha Greenaway Goodman, Mrs.
Lillie Largent, Grace Goodman and Mrs. Lillie Goodman Largent; Mr. Alma
G. Pennington and Edgar Greenaway.

That is the last of the known
dates. The names that follow will be those of pioneers whose
descendants claim to have been here previous to the seventy-five years,
but of whom there were no records.

Christian Merker was one of the
early settlers of New Albany. He was one of the founders of the German
Lutheran church. Miss Florence Merker is a granddaughter. It will be
remembered that the late Henry Merker, a son of Christian Merker,
possessed one of the sweetest tenor voices ever heard in this vicinity.

Robert Lloyd was another early
settler. He first settled in Mooresville but came to New Albany when
there were but a few log houses. It is said that he was forced to come
here because of the bears, and deemed it safer to join the settlers
here. Descendants from the Lloyd family are; Mrs. Mary J. Hoagland,
Miss Alva Lloyd; Robert and Wallace Shrader.

George Walts, one of whose
grand-daughters celebrated her 83rd birthday last month, settled first
in Georgetown, which ground he owned. The town was named after him.
Later he came to New Albany. Descendants from the Walts family are Mrs.
Joseph Diehl, Mrs. Susan Knable, Harry and George Diehl and Ralph and
Harry Diehl.

From a Mr. Roberts, whose initials
were not given are the following: Mrs. Ann Draper, James Draper, Emma
Draper, Mrs. George Tether and Mrs. Donahue.

Descendants of William Hart are
Mrs. Hester Harrison, Mrs. George Penn, Miss Emma Hart, J. Bradley
Harrison, Walter G. Harrison, Martha and Mary Harrison, who can claim
pioneers on their mother's side also. Victor, Otto, Robert and Julia
Penn, Helen and Rodger Penn and Floyd Penn.

Dummer Hooper was one of New
Albany's early Mayors. He is said to have planted some of the trees in
Scribner Park. The first trees planted were not a success because of
the curiosity of some small boy, who, not seeing anything growing out
of the tops of the trees, pulled them up and planted them with the
roots exposed.

John Armstrong, pioneer left the
following descendants: Mrs. William Milligan, George and Harry Raymer,
Mrs. John Hood, Madison and Frank Milligan and Mrs. Nancy Armstrong
Young, a great-granddaughter; John C. Lutz, a great-grandson.

The Dempster family came to New
Albany in the early 1800's. James Dempster was left an orphan at an
early age, without any records. Descendants of this family are: Mrs.
Clay Hatton, John W. Dempster, Mrs. C. Forman, Frank and Fay Hatton,
Mrs. Delia Pendleton, Harry and Fay Dempster.

From James Crook, pioneer, is one
living descendant residing here, Mrs. M. V. Franck.

Next to the Genung descendants in
number comes the line of McCulloughs. Hugh McCullough, pioneer, left
over forty-five descendants, some of the names of who appear elsewhere
in this article. For instance, the families of Mrs. Charles Kelso,
Robert Minor and Mrs. Harry Hopkins, will appear under the Charles
Minor head, instead of with Mrs. Mary E. Brown. Others are Thomas
McCullough, Thomas and James McCullough; G. Wesley McCullough,
Millicent, Ida May McCullough; Mrs. Fred Bettman, Helen, Harold and
Mildred Bettman; Sallie Blanche, Beulah and Elsie McCullough; Thomas
R., Charles and George McCullough, Alma and George McCullough; Robert,
Chester, Alpha Kreutzer; Mrs. Orville Franklin, Leon and Elizabeth.
Franklin, Harvey McCullough, Sarabel, Hazel, Joseph and Chester
McCullough.

John B. Ruter, son of Martin H.
Ruter, pioneer, at the time of his death, was postmaster of New Albany,
under the administration of President Pierce. Descendants are Martin H.
Ruter, John and Walter Stuart, Bennett and Edward L. Ruter.

Descendants of Silas Day, pioneer,
are: Will Day, E. A. Reily, John and James Reily, Mrs. H. A. Scribner
and daughter, Miss Mary Scribner, who is also a direct descendant of
the famous Scribner family; Mrs. W. C. West, Mrs. S. B. Lynd, Robert
Lynd and Mrs. Byron Hartley.

Meade Sowle, pioneer, left the
following: Charles and John Sowle and Mrs. Adelia Byrons.

Mrs. Nancy Jackson, Frank, Robert
and William Jackson; Mrs. William Borgerding, Mary Elizabeth
Borgerding; Misses Netttie and Nancy Jackson; Mrs. Florence Shrader,
Jane and Wellman Shrader, and children of Robert Jackson.

Thomas, John and Brewer Sinex,
pioneers, left a long line of descendants: Thomas Sinex "built the
first frame house in New Albany" at Fifth and High streets, where he
owned a lumber yard. John Sinex was a one time Coroner of New Albany.
Descendants of these three brothers are: Mrs. Mary Lawrey, Harry
Lawrey, Leonard, Ruth, Margaret and George Lawrey; Mary and Benjamin
Sinex, Mrs. Carrie Kroenncke, Arthur, Mildred, and Russell Sinex,
Edward and Lee Kroencke; Emma, Charles and Ida Sinex, Mrs. L. Crowin,
Mrs. Ellen Moore, Mrs. N. Walters, William Crowin, Lillian Walters,
Nellie, Grace, Frank and Robert Moore, Harry Sinex, Mrs. Wilbert
Patton, Wilbert and Wallace Sinex.

Out of a large family of children
only four descendants of William Jones, pioneer, remained in New
Albany. They are: Miss Ella Jones, Mrs. John S. McDonald and Morris and
Helen McDonald.

Frances and Peter Tellon were also
pioneers, Mart Tellon and Mrs. Geo. Newhouse being descendants.

It will be noted that many names
appear twice in these lists. They are of course those entitled to the
honor from both sides of the family.

Had it been possible to devote
more time to these tracings of old families, which has proven a highly
interesting work, this article would have been more complete and
consequently, more valuable.

The Woman's Auxiliary will be glad
to meet and welcome those whose names appear hear, and those whose
names should have been included and inadvertently omitted.

The Scribner family, under the
chairmanship of Miss Charlotte Devol, will appear elsewhere, and has
been given no place in this article, with the exception of Miss Mary
Scribner, who is entitled to it from her mother's side of the Day
family.